First Georeferenced Municipal Care System of El Alto (SMGC) as a tool to strengthen public care policies in Bolivia
0-1 Original language
Spanish
I-1 Name of the initiative
First Georeferenced Municipal Care System of El Alto (SMGC) as a tool to strengthen public care policies in Bolivia
I-2 Geographical coverage
BOL
I-2-A Region/country
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
I-2-R Region
Americas
I-2-T Geographical scope
Country
I-3-A Initiative start date
2024
I-3-B Initiative end date
2025
I-4 Leading entity/organization
Government
I-5 Collaborating entities/organizations
Social and solidarity economy (SSE) entities
I-5 Collaborating entities/organizations
Civil society, including NGOs
I-6 Has the ILO been involved in the initiative?
Yes
I-6-A Specify how the ILO was involved
The ILO provided technical assistance for the implementation of the first Georeferenced Municipal Care System of El Alto (SMGC), an innovative tool that strengthens public care policies with a focus on human rights and gender equality. The ILO's technical leadership was decisive in aligning local action with international standards, strengthening the capacities of the Autonomous Municipal Government of El Alto and promoting the right to care in its three dimensions: cared for, caregivers and self-care.
I-7 Is there collaboration with other agencies of the United Nations System or other partners?
No
II-1 Justification of the initiative
The initiative was developed within the framework of the project "Promoting Social Justice and Gender Equality through innovative Care policies in Bolivia" and constitutes a key input for the formulation of Public Policy and the Municipal Law for the Co-responsibility of Care, moving towards the institutionalization of care as a shared social responsibility.In 2025, the municipality of El Alto has 14 districts, of which ten are considered urban and four rural. The population of this municipality is approximately 885,035 people, and the age group that concentrates the most people is 0 to 15 years old, which means a high demand for care services aimed at children and adolescents.
II-10 Focus on other branches of economic activity
No sectoral focus
II-11 Focus on certain categories of enterprises or economic units according to their size
Not applicable
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Employees
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Employers
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Own-account workers
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Members of producers’ cooperatives
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Contributing family workers
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Workers not classifiable by status
II-13 Focus on other specific categories of workers and employers, not captured elsewhere
No specific categories of workers or employers
II-13-A Specification
__EMPTY__
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Women
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Mothers
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Persons with other care responsibilities
II-14-A Specification
__EMPTY__
II-15 Has the initiative been developed through effective social dialogue processes and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms?
Yes, through social dialogue
II-2 Objectives and description of the initiative
The Municipal Georeferenced Care System (SMGC) allows mapping and diagnosing the supply of municipal, private and community care services, generating strategic and territorialized information for planning, decision-making and the design of evidence-based public policies, including the municipality's care law. This georeferencing platform is managed mainly through the website of the municipality of El Alto and is freely accessible. Its incorporation into the official portal of the municipality makes it a public instrument of consultation and management for authorities and citizens, from a territorial perspective that considers the particularities of the supply and demand of the existing care services in each of the districts.
II-3 Type of initiative
Project / pilot intervention
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Reward care workers
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Representation of care workers
II-5 Which is the main policy area of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Care policies
II-6 Which other policy areas of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Employment policies
II-6 Which other policy areas of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Social Protection policies
II-6 Which other policy areas of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Labour Protection policies
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Design and implement integrated and coherent care policies and systems for decent work and gender equality
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Mainstream care into relevant public policies
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Formalization of informal care jobs and enterprises
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Invest in and make available high-quality, affordable, adequate and accessible care services, including childcare, health care and long-term care
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and SSE entities that deliver quality care services
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Unpaid carers (workers or persons with care responsibilities, parents, other family members, etc.)
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Paid care workers (nurses, domestic workers, teachers, childcare workers, personal assistants, etc.)
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Care recipients (children, older persons, persons with disabilities, etc.)
II-9 Geographical scope
Urban and rural
III-1 In a short paragraph, summarize the main results and impacts obtained
The georeferenced mapping in El Alto identified 181 centers that provide care for children, adolescents, the elderly and people with disabilities, managed by public, private, religious and community entities. This analysis showed an unequal supply between urban and rural areas, as well as a strong dependence on donations and own resources to sustain its operation. It also showed that most of the work falls on women in unpaid volunteer conditions, which reflects gender gaps in the provision of care. These results provide a key basis for strengthening municipal planning and moving towards local care policies that address gender equality.
III-2 Explanation of the innovative element of the initiative for advancing decent work in the care economy
The Municipal Georeferenced Care System of El Alto (SMGC) constitutes a key input for the formulation of the Public Policy and the Municipal Law for the Co-responsibility of Care, moving towards the institutionalization of care as a shared social responsibility, since it provides information on the supply and quality of care services in the 14 districts of the Municipality of El Alto in Bolivia.Part of the innovative character also lies in integrating a territorial approach that makes visible the presence and conditions of community care initiatives according to the realities of indigenous communities that inhabit the area. In addition, it was possible to complement the process of strengthening community initiatives based on the social and solidarity economy through the Care.Coop methodology, which opens opportunities to scale sustainable models of care provision in the municipality.
IV-1 What were the main challenges or difficulties during the design and implementation? How were they faced/ addressed?
Changes in the authorities of the public institutions with which it had to coordinate that delayed the implementation of the tool.
IV-2 Lessons learned and good practices, including room and opportunities for improvement
The implementation of the Municipal Georeferenced Care System of El Alto (SMGC) showed that for projects with an impact on public policies, especially in contexts with high political instability and electoral processes such as Bolivia, it is essential to properly assess the time needed for awareness-raising actions and inter-institutional coordination. Experience showed that initiatives of this strategic scope require longer deadlines to ensure effective and sustainable implementation of the proposed results.
IV-3 Key conditions for success
Establish strategic alliances with different public and private actors, trade unions and employers, organized civil society and international organizations, as well as maintain openness to take advantage of or generate opportunities to achieve broader results than those initially envisaged in the formulation of projects financed through results-based resources (RBSAs).Â
IV-4 Key conditions for sustainability
The ILO's technical leadership was decisive in aligning local action with international standards, strengthening the capacities of the Autonomous Municipal Government of El Alto and promoting the right to care in its three dimensions: cared for, caregivers and self-care.
IV-5 Potential for transferability, expansion and replicability in other countries and contexts
The initiative can be replicated in other countries and contexts. In addition, it was complemented with community initiatives based on the social and solidarity economy through the Care.Coop methodology, opening opportunities to scale sustainable models of care provision in the municipality.
V-1 Sources of information and documents used on the characteristics of the initiative, including links to websites, news items, toolkits, policy documents or reports
Sistema Municipal Georreferenciado de Cuidados de El Alto (SMGC)Caring from the Territory: Experiences of Cooperatives and Social and Solidarity Economy Entities in Latin America, ILO (2025)
V-2 Contact information of ILO focal point
Vanessa Riveros, ILO Programme Officer in Bolivia ([email protected])